The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-13

sponge cake and other things, an unused the
baby while she ct little-a mighty little. was
sorry to see; but she went On to tell me Jim had
been to the doctor about her. an he said she
needed tonics, aud he sent her some an she was
goin' to take the medcin' an would soon be we'll
and strong. an so happy But, Aunt Nancy
she says, baby don't grow bit I'm afraid he
is too old fashioned Mother Curtis saws don't
stir round enough to get an appetite Do you
think that's it-that baby don't get enough to
make him grow because I can't eatq She
looked so weak and pitiful
Il says. We'll, it amt your fault; reckon you
can't make yourself eat
s'She laughed little you are such COM
fort, Auntie, she says. but that wonderful tonic
II set me up again.
can so left her an went home, promising to
be back in aday or two an take her home with
me for a little visit IL she was strong enough
You'd jes oughter to seen her face when I said
that: it jes' lit up.
"'Mother CurtsT she whispered.
90 says |. she'll be glad to get rid of you for
a WHILE an / went off plannin' how I'd see Jim
and make him bring her over. But it did seem
as if there was spite to be worked out acin me,
for that very evenin' it set in to rain, an that
stiffened the ole man up bad. an for days he
could not move hissef an I was KEEP close at
home for three weeks, hearin' from the neichbors
every once and while that Rhody was eainin'
slowly. but the baby wasn't right, somehow
well, Jonathan got able to hobble round
again, an a purity spell of weather sot in. but
another week slipped away, an ! saws to Joua-
than, says l, AS sure as live am going to see
Rhody to-morrer eff old Mis- Curtis IL let me in:'
an the words wasn't hardly out of my mouth
when somebody knocked at the door, Come
in. says +. and who was it but old man Curtis,
looking like ghost. Whats the matterp saws
l. He rally couldn't speak for mint, an then
he got ont somethin' bout Rhody an the baby,
and comm but / sensed it all an in less'n a
mint was ready an in the buggy with him.
From what l could make out as we druv as
fast we could, Jim had been away from home
over to the Duncan place from airy in the morn
in till about o'clock that afternoon. When he
got homo he run right up to Rhpdvs room, an
found her settin' there with the baby In her
arms, asleep he thought, but when he spoke to
Rhody she begun to scream, SO that he
scared an TUX hold of the baby an it was dead
'''Then he hollored.' said the old man, AN
me- an Mary Ann, an Tom CHATS. the hired
manl ran up there, fur we was just settn down
to supper, an when saw what it was Tom
went for the doctor and I came for YOU
An, oh, Mis- johnson. never want to see
such sights agn! The baby was dead, sure
enough, poor little thing an out of its misery;
but Rhody she jes' went out O. one faint into
other till the doctor came, an then we worked
over her q long time, an when she quit faintin'
she was ravin' in high fever. Dangerous, the
doctor sad an turned everybody but Jim an
me out O the room. Such an awful time! Rho
dy would scream, oh, do come. mother! Moth
er! Mother! Babys dyin'v till she couldn't
scream any more, an ln0H SneU ask lOF the
baby, an lie still, waitin like, an then scream
agn.
ut was midnight before the doctor got her
quiet, and then she lay in a stupor like, with
Jim settin watchin' her. Then thought of the
pore baby an went to see about 1t, but some of
the other neiehbors had come in. an / found
they had it laid out nice in the parlor.
Mis- Curtis was settin' by the kitchen stove,
fur it was cool evenin', an says to her. Mary
Ann says 1, what allied the chidi It was tux
student wasn't it2
.'She looked at me. knowed she was mad as
we'll feelin' bad. but she didn't want to show
it then, an she says,
eyes. reckon you might say it was, though
1 never spected the child to live from the first.
What d Jim marry that nc-count spindly girl
furf He might "a knowed'
@ Mrs. Curtis says 1. Rhody III not trouble
you long: and its my BELIEF. saysI, you've hur-
ried her into her grave
''It's no SIGH thing says she. 4 waited on
her as good as if she was my own: but had lots
to do to day, an tole her this mornin' was
done packin' victuals MP stairs for lazy trollop
she wanted any, She's plenty able to. Nancy
Riley. an it's my 'pinion she didn't take half
of that baby An she set Jim agin me-
He's fxin' to go off to live by hisself.'
II jes turned round and left her, m she
bounced up an says to che of the women. Il
spect you're all hungry. an I'll get supper an
in spite of all they could do to work she went. "
"Oh yes" said Mrs. johnson, "the madden she
got the harder she'd work. an a mighty good
worker, too. she was; but how did that poor
Rhody get alone9"
'sWell, she lay quiet all that mornin', but
about the middle of the afternoon she reused up
and seemed to know me an Jim, an asked for
the baby.
ITS down stairs, Rhody.' saysL
"She looked at me so queer
els itr she said. Mother was mad, Jim.
an wouldn't come up stairs. an baby was so sick
an tried to call her. an couldn't make her
hoa an han ioA IN dnvVn cfaivc
couldn't, an baby got stiff and cold an l
couldn't get him warm An then. O Mis- John
son. she began to scream again. 1t was awful.
but after awhile she was still again for several
hours, an tried to get Jim to lay down, but he
wouldn't leave her, an his mother come up for
him TO get him to go down an eat somethin', blu,
he jes looked at her an she went an left him.
ut was night when Rhody reused up agin,
an she looked so much better out Of her eyes
that felt sort cheered.
"'Jim.' she says, whispering, is that Aunt
Nancy2r
"sYes, dear he says.
"'An' has she got the babyf she went on.
"'Well, Jim didn't say nothin', pore Teller, an
she says:
"'Aunt Nancy. when Jim an mes keepin
house you'll come an see usF
"'Yes, dear says. Now 60 to sleep, like q
good girl
"sAn right she says you keep the baby, an
Jim, kiss good night; l love you. Jim
| We'll be-so happy-by--ourseives
Tho last words were long time comm. an
| Jim. after he had kissed her, looked at me an
| whispered. Send for the doctor hurried out
but before the doctor came he was not needed
Rhody had said her last good night"
"How did Mary Ann take it2' said Mrs. John
| son, wiping her eyes.
Laws. she TUX on like all possessed, cried an,
hollered till thought she'd 60 inter fits but
somehow, felt sorrier for the ole man. He,
stan an look at the pore thing after she wa
laid out, an the big tearsd run down hi
wrinkled face. an he says to me, She's too GOO
for this world Nancy, Rhody was"
just then the brakeman shouted the name @
the town at which was to stop, and mus
gather up my traps. ] leaned over and whis
pered to Aunt Nancy" What did poor Jir
doq"
The old lady's face flushed. "Was you a-lis
enn2" says She
81 couldn't helm itr said tPoor Rhodai Blu